Call for Papers: Health Affairs

Health Affairs will publish a theme issue on health care quality in April 2011. As always our aim is to bring together the best current thinking on a range of topics and to highlight important trends, developments, and controversies (see priority topic list below). We particularly want to surface key issues or proposals for consideration by policy makers at the state, federal, organizational or industry level.

Papers will be considered for inclusion in the theme issue as well as in subsequent issues of the journal later in 2011.

As it now stands, we are seeking submissions on the following topics:

•The history of safety and quality initiatives in the US health care, with a special focus on what has happened since publication of the IOM Reports on errors and
quality in 1999 and 2000;

•The art and science of measures of quality (process and outcomes)

•The challenges of designing appropriate measures for a range of activities and institutions, including but not limited to hospitals, ambulatory care, health
systems, and diagnostic tests;

•Innovative models and case studies of organizations that have attempted and achieved quality-improvement objectives;

•Analyses of current pay for performance programs and other QI initiatives, especially in the context of delivery system innovations to be carried out under
the terms of the Affordable Care Act;

We also welcome submissions on other topics that are key to ongoing debates regarding health care quality.

Submissions should be between 3500 and 5000 words (this count includes a 100-word abstract and all endnotes/references) and may include up to 4 exhibits (tables, figures, diagrams). Papers should be original submissions not previously published or being considered by other journals. Details on format and endnotes are available on the Health Affairs website under “Help for Authors.”

Please mention the theme issue in your cover letter and in the submission forms.